Classic High-End Gear
- Thread starter Negotiableterms
- Start date
just dave
vintage rules!
WOOF
Dear God....that Thorens, tho...
vapcochris4
Member
Pioneer Spec 1 and 2.
Klipschorns
Klipschorns
Dr Morbius
Well-Known Member
I believe the HH Scott 272 and 296 integrated amps would fit the bill, trouble is they made so few of them!
Yes, yes indeed.
Let us also add the Harvard Electronics / Futterman H-3 OTL amplifier.
Let us also add the KLH Model Nine loudspeakers.
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Hawkeye83
Super Member
Okay, I'll bite and throw speakers I own (shocker, right?!) into the debate/list. I feel the Kef 107 and 107/2's belong on this list. They only made Stereophile Class B (I think due to less than state-of-the-art top end), but the coupled-driver, tuned port bass/base unit was very innovative for the time...if I'm not mistaken it may have been the first speaker ever with this design (correct me if I'm wrong, please)? This was just one of many innovative ideas used on this speaker, and the result was a very capable, all-around performer. With music, the mid-range is very liquid and smooth...imaging is very good...and the bass, when called upon, is THUNDEROUS, smooth, and articulate! My speakers are also pulling double duty as home theater front L-R, where they are very good...possibly even better at home theater than music, due to the impressive bass response, as needed for effects (explosions, etc). At $4-6k retail in the mid 80's, it was a very high end speaker, but at the same time, also quite a value! And the design and performance holds up to this day.
"Overall, I consider the KEF 107s to be an engineering marvel and, by a clear margin, the best full-range conventional speaker money can buy. This is a smart speaker (two brains, remember), so it's not surprising that—in my opinion—it blows away all other conventional speakers in our Class B recommendations. They are that good!"
http://www.stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/550/#ig8kpx4OxtztOzDl.97
"Overall, I consider the KEF 107s to be an engineering marvel and, by a clear margin, the best full-range conventional speaker money can buy. This is a smart speaker (two brains, remember), so it's not surprising that—in my opinion—it blows away all other conventional speakers in our Class B recommendations. They are that good!"
http://www.stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/550/#ig8kpx4OxtztOzDl.97
hunter00
Super Member
may as well thru my newly completed Speakers in here/Mixed bag of Tannoy solid Cabinets/Stephens totl Full Range FR150 speakers and JBL 075 Bullet horns
Driven by my HHscott tube gear
tho not one manufacture product specific they are all vintage gear and they perform!!
hunter
Driven by my HHscott tube gear
tho not one manufacture product specific they are all vintage gear and they perform!!
hunter
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twiiii
Lunatic Member
Like the Ferro graph tape deck the smaller tandbergs and a whole bunch of Ampex 1000 and 2000 models, they all had serious mechanical compromises. The chassis of the A-77 was very delicate, the switches and volume controls were very fragile. The machine performed well in the beginning, but with a lot of hours began to fail in so many ways. The B-77 and the A700 were better machines, but still light weights.
Marantz units are worth their weight in gold in some markets, but the 8B didn't come close to the MC240. The model 9 was a true performer,but a pair of MC-75's out performed them. The Macs didn't have the cool factor at the time. Though the C-22 electronically wiped the 7C, the touch and feel of the controls sold a lot of units for Marantz. The 10b was a pioneering great unit. But a MR 78 with MPI-4 wiped the 10b in metropolitan areas where weak stations were next to very powerful ones and the 10B couldn't select between the two. In rural areas with stations on adjacent channels the 78 again out performed the 10b. I know the Macs again weren't as cool as a 10B, and therefore will never rate as high in most folks minds. And I hate to have to say this, but all the other tube stuff didn't qualify even for third fiddle. That includes Dyna, Citation, Fisher, Scott, Grommes, Sherwood, Eico, etc etc etc. Even Altec tube amps, were big compromises. So if you want vintage, and want the best of the best. Keep your eyes open for good Marantz and Mac pieces ands have them restored. They may last another 50 to 60 years. Of course if you have the coin their is a new version of the C-22 MKIII with a MC input and MC75's and 275's. If you need big power. Theres the MC2301 and Audio Classics has the best tube amp ever made in the 20th Century, the MC3500 for sale totally reconditioned.
Marantz units are worth their weight in gold in some markets, but the 8B didn't come close to the MC240. The model 9 was a true performer,but a pair of MC-75's out performed them. The Macs didn't have the cool factor at the time. Though the C-22 electronically wiped the 7C, the touch and feel of the controls sold a lot of units for Marantz. The 10b was a pioneering great unit. But a MR 78 with MPI-4 wiped the 10b in metropolitan areas where weak stations were next to very powerful ones and the 10B couldn't select between the two. In rural areas with stations on adjacent channels the 78 again out performed the 10b. I know the Macs again weren't as cool as a 10B, and therefore will never rate as high in most folks minds. And I hate to have to say this, but all the other tube stuff didn't qualify even for third fiddle. That includes Dyna, Citation, Fisher, Scott, Grommes, Sherwood, Eico, etc etc etc. Even Altec tube amps, were big compromises. So if you want vintage, and want the best of the best. Keep your eyes open for good Marantz and Mac pieces ands have them restored. They may last another 50 to 60 years. Of course if you have the coin their is a new version of the C-22 MKIII with a MC input and MC75's and 275's. If you need big power. Theres the MC2301 and Audio Classics has the best tube amp ever made in the 20th Century, the MC3500 for sale totally reconditioned.
hunter00
Super Member
Ive got a current vintage tube mono block build going with a pair of Stromberg Carlson AP-55 amps.Many were used exclusively in early movie Theater application and SC were linked at one time with WE in a takeover bid.
Some obscure posts on the net with one former owner compareing them to his Marantz 8b and his MC240 say the SC at least equaled and exceeded in his opinion the sonics of the former....very rare to see on the resale market.we'll see as they should be done in the next couple weeks
4- 6L6b outputs per and 3-rectifier tubes per..large iron produced in 1959 NY state American made.
hunter
Some obscure posts on the net with one former owner compareing them to his Marantz 8b and his MC240 say the SC at least equaled and exceeded in his opinion the sonics of the former....very rare to see on the resale market.we'll see as they should be done in the next couple weeks
4- 6L6b outputs per and 3-rectifier tubes per..large iron produced in 1959 NY state American made.
hunter